


when you play the game of thrones, you die and respawn

by Anonymous



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Beautiful Golden Fools, F/M, Sibling Incest, and by no one i mean NO ONE, this is the gaming au absolutely no one asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21569767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Cersei Lannister, or Lioness as she is known to her substantial online following, is perfectly content. Sure her twin has been ignoring her for years and basically cut her out of his life, but she has other things going on. Like a successful streaming career with her best friend. And meta changes for her favorite game. And college decision day around the corner. I mean honestly, who has time to worry about her shitty brother?
Relationships: Cersei Lannister/Jaime Lannister
Comments: 48
Kudos: 97
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! welcome to my attempt at a j/c multichap fic! i’ve had this idea floating around in my brain for a while and honestly it wouldn’t leave me alone until i published it so here it is. apologies for any mistakes, we live in a realm without beta readers due to fear! any social media aspects can be found on twitter @forcersei_, please see the end notes for more details!

“Mr. Lannister, if you wouldn’t mind putting the phone away and giving me your undivided attention, I was about to review the contents of the upcoming quiz,” Ms. Syder spoke from the front of the classroom, glaring directly at Jaime as he conspicuously continued to check his phone. 

“You couldn’t handle my undivided attention,” He replied, flashing his famous Lannister grin, “but you’re more than welcome to continue talking!” Syder’s obvious irritation would be a problem for later, right now Jaime just wanted to know why his twitter was blowing up. 

**@mercybottoms** : has anyone noticed @lionessOW and @lionprinceOW both have some weird ass lion theme going on ⍰⍰ odds they’re secretly duoing (or dating) ⍰

**@lionessOW** : what’d i ever do to deserve this hate ⍰⍰ @lionprinceOW never seen this man before in my LIFE why the FUCK would i duo or date him

While the original tweet was nothing of note, Lioness’ reply was slightly offensive. Looking at her profile, Jaime quickly determined that she was an average streamer who could probably appeal to lonely gamer boys, although looking throughout her profile he noticed that she never posted a picture of her face, and all audio clips used a voice modifier. Firing a reply back, he subtly put his phone away only to continue perusing the twitter profile on his watch. Her follower count spoke to either her skills or her fanbase’s dedication, although clips from previous streams showed that she actually had some talent. With the talent pool being as congested as it currently was, Jaime had likely played many games with and against Lioness, although he was certain that they had never previously interacted. She seemed to be friendly with redpriestess and redviper, both of whom Jaime rarely ever played with. 

**@lionprinceOW** : okay. rude. big words coming from the girl hiding behind a voice modifier

**@lionessOW** : fuck off and maybe learn how to actually play the game before you come after those of us with talent?? talk to me if you hit top500

Seeing her reply made him snort in amusement, which quickly garnered a glare from Syder and other classmates. What did he care if his teacher was upset with him? He did his work as needed, not seeing the point in putting in more effort than the minimum required. He’d much rather return to his room and get back to playing Overwatch rather than take notes and study for any upcoming quizzes. Quickly checking her account on Overbluff, he noticed that she was actually much more talented than he originally considered. She had hit top 500 twice during GOATS meta, and had even managed to hit it a third time after role queue was initiated. Even if she was a good player, she was way too cocky to be left alone, hence his reply. Looking around, he realized class was ending, as he quickly packed his belongings up before running to his room. 

**@lionprinceOW** : @lionessOW you’ve literally hit top500 maybe twice? calm down. play the fucking game like the rest of us lmao

**@lionessOW** : oh u mean badly?

~ 

“Okay but who the fuck is he?” Cersei asked both in game and on stream. Having finished her classes early, she had snuck away to her room in order to stream and play. Snuck was a strong word, as there was no one around to notice anything that she did. Her father was away as usual, and the imp’s silence was a virtue she would not question. She quickly scanned her chat’s replies as she scrolled through twitter while a game was queueing in the background. 

“He’s a support main,” Oberyn replied through the in game voice chat system, “I think his peak is 4.2k? Mainly plays Mercy and Moira. I’ve seen him with serbrienne occasionally but I think he mainly solo queues.” 

“And he doesn’t stream or anything? How the fuck do any of you know him?” She questioned while reading the replies more carefully, “Oh fuck off chat. And stop using that swear counter. I will NOT stop swearing.” 

Oberyn laughed before addressing some of the comments himself, “I think redpriestess might be a little busy carrying furiousiron to be our steady trio mate.” Having been Cersei’s duo partner for a majority of her streaming career, Oberyn certainly made himself at home on her channel. Her audience knew him well, referring to him by his real name rather than his gamer tag, which was almost amusing since they didn’t know her own.

“She really is way too good to be duoing with him all the time,” she replied, “but maybe I’m just being jealous. Chat, go send redpriestess some love on her discord or something, we haven’t played in forever!” Choosing to ignore the comments requesting a reveal, she continued to banter with Oberyn and her followers as they waited for their game. Having stated streaming a year ago, she was accustomed to the constant requests for both a voice and face reveal, as she had never shown her face on camera and used a voice modifier when speaking both in game and on stream. Her desire for privacy was a major concern when she first began streaming, and it was Oberyn who had convinced her she could garner a following without exposing herself. 

“How come no one questions when Oberyn and redpriestess have red in their usernames but the minute another lion shows up he’s my boyfriend?” Cersei questioned lightly.

“Maybe because everyone knows that I have a girlfriend?” Oberyn replied, “Or because they know that if redpriestess is going to date anyone it’s going to be furiousiron?”

Returning to her chat, she decided to answer some new viewer’s questions, “Lioness, what got you into Overwatch? I’ve been playing FPS games since I was pretty young, my brother showed them to me when we were like ten I think? Anyways I played TF2 for years and then when Overwatch got announced I kinda switched over.”

“Does your brother play?” Oberyn read out another question, the infliction in his voice giving away how amusing he thought the topic was. Oberyn, having met Cersei when they were both fourteen, was most likely the closest friend she had. He had been there to talk her through constant arguments regarding Jaime’s absence.

“I,” She paused, remembering that her voice modifier would likely mask the sadness in her tone, “I don’t really know? We don’t really talk anymore so...”

“Hey look the game is starting!” Oberyn quickly diverted her attention. 

~

A quick reply to Jaime’s text and Tyrion returned to his homework. One more assignment to complete before he could move downstairs to the study to do some private reading. He could hypothetically go down there right now, the house was deserted aside from Cersei’s presence in her own room, but completing his homework took priority. 

The current conversation with Jaime was nothing special, his brother was simply asking after his well-being along with Cersei’s. Tyrion had no idea why Jaime was so adamant about ignoring any contact with Cersei when he was at school and minimizing it when he was at home, especially since his brother still clearly cared for his monster of a twin. 

How much of Tyrion’s confusion over his siblings complicated relationship was a direct result of his existence? What would they look like if Joanna had lived and he had not? Would Jaime still have been sent away to boarding school, leaving Cersei and Tyrion behind in an empty penthouse surrounded by ghosts? Such questions were futile, as he would never learn the truth. Certain things were absolute, such as his dwarfism. Such as his brother’s decision to shut his twin out from his life. Such as his sister’s hatred of him. Such as his father’s constant disappointment. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh hello again, i hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this fic, please feel free to leave a comment with literally any type of reaction lol, i NEED constructive criticism don’t even worry about it. when i was originally drafting this fic i knew that i wanted the social media components to be realistic, but i kind of hit a brick wall when it came to ao3’s method of formatting pictures within fics. because of this i decided to open a twitter account that would contain all social media aspects mentioned in this fic! check out @forcersei_ to see tweets, twitch chats, and profiles! i am hoping to get the next chapter up within a week, they aren’t long by any means so hopefully i won’t struggle too much lol. i also realize that a lot of this fic revolves pretty heavily around gaming and streaming culture (specifically as it relates to overwatch) and i apologize if this is simply like.... too niche of a fic lol. i will do my best to have the characters naturally explain the things that might not be well known.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again! i know i said i'd be back next week but i'm trying to figure out what day i'm planning on updating this fic on a weekly basis, and i think saturday happens to work out perfectly! should my writing speed continue to grow i might be updating twice a week but we shall cross that bridge if we ever reach it. in other news, welcome to chapter 2! as always check @forcersei_ on twitter for social media things (DMs, tweets, etc). this chapter did not end up the resembling the original outline but hopefully you will still enjoy it!

Let it never be said that Jaime Lannister showed bias when it came to slacking off in classes. Having been shipped off to boarding school in England at eleven years old, he never truly captured the passion for academics that his brother exhibited. Each class was awarded the same amount of attention and devotion, the minimum required. Slacking off in Art History was just as easy as slacking off in Philosophy, and Jaime believed in both. Throughout the last few days, he had been DMing Lioness, and he was genuinely surprised by how funny she was. It was refreshing to talk to a girl with the knowledge that she knew nothing of Jaime Lannister, heir to the entire Lannister Group Corporation. Lioness exhibited a sense of humor to rival his own, and Jaime enjoyed talking to her no matter the topic. 

“Class ended dumbass,” Addam Marbrand, his closest friend at school notified him. “Stop texting that girl and get up.”

“I’m not even texting her right now.” Jaime attempted to defend himself, gathering his items and packing up.

“Now that’s a genuine shocker.” Marbrand snarked in response, “You’ve been snooping on your phone in every single class we share.”

“Fuck off.” 

~

“I’ve just been thinking about it is all,” Cersei quickly defended herself, “I mean if there was ever a milestone isn’t thirty thousand followers a valid reason to do a voice reveal?”

“I just know how concerned you are with people finding out,” Oberyn reasoned, “I don’t want you to make the decision and then regret it later.”

“I honestly doubt my dad would even notice if fucking dexerto doxxed me. I’ve been locked in this room streaming for hours on end for how long? I doubt he’ll find out just because people will actually hear my voice now.”

Oberyn sighed and laid fully on her bed. As always, Cersei’s room was Oberyn’s second home considering how much time he spent hanging out with her here. He liked hanging out with his best friend, and he understood that circumstances rarely allowed her to actually leave the house without reporting the details directly to Tywin, regardless of how uninterested he truly was. Tywin was aware of the relationship between his daughter and the second Martell boy, to an extent. What he assumed was a reckless teenage fling was in actuality perhaps the only true relationship his daughter had.

“What’s Jaime doing next year anyways?” He asked, tossing the hacky sack as he stared at the constellations painted on her ceiling. 

“What?” She startled up from her homework, “How the fuck should I know? Why the fuck do you even care?” 

“I was just wondering,” He replied coolly, “Shouldn’t a twin know where her other half is spending the next four years of his life?”

“Maybe a twin should, alas I seem to have misplaced my other half long ago and I doubt he’s going to come rushing home after graduating begging for forgiveness.”

Frowning, Oberyn raised his head from the pillow and glanced at her best friend, seeing her visibly upset. He didn’t mean to hurt her when he asked about Jaime, no matter how taboo he knew the subject was his curiosity got the better of him. 

“Whatever. Fuck him. Come here.” He stated, lifting his arm and motioning her to lie with him. Platonic as their relationship might be, he knew how starved for affection Cersei was. Who was the last person, aside from him, who had hugged her? Who had told her she’d done a great job? Who’d told her they loved her? It was a somber thought, one he didn’t want to focus on for too long, instead choosing to pull her close as he tucked her head on his shoulder and slowly played with her hair, comforting her as best he could. 

-

It could be argued that Tywin’s habit of letting his youngest child know when he should be ready for dinner was at the very least an acknowledgement of his existence, but Tyrion doubted that. What his father truly wanted was for Cersei to be notified so she would leave her room. Walking through the penthouse, he couldn’t help but question why his father couldn’t simply make a group text, or text Cersei the information herself. It would certainly be more convenient for him, instead of running around chasing his evil sister. 

Knocking on her door twice, he waited for a soft, “What do you want?” Before intruding on her privacy. He was unsurprised to find the Martell guy there, as he often was. 

“Father says he’ll be home for dinner in half an hour,” He dutifully notified before grinning, “Oberyn, I’m sure you’re more than welcome to join us!”

“Absolutely the fuck not,” Oberyn replied, visibly cringing at the idea of interacting with Tywin Lannister of all people. He turned to face Cersei before offering an apology, “You know I hate leaving you but there is no way I’m sitting through that.”

“It’s fine.” His sister replied before offering him a quick peck on the cheek and rising from her bed. Tyrion never knew what to make of Oberyn and his relationship to his sister. When the Martells moved to town three years ago, Oberyn and Cersei had somehow found each other and had stuck since. He was pretty sure Oberyn had a girlfriend named Ellaria, but the guy also spent a lot of time in Cersei’s room acting awfully cuddly. 

“Why the fuck are you still standing there?” His sister’s anger turned to him, a direct contrast in behavior now directed at someone she neither loved nor cared for. 

“I’ll head out with him anyways. I barely know the way without you guiding me,” Oberyn joked before gathering his things and offering Cersei another hug and a peck, “Unless that’s a problem?”

“Uh, no I can show you the way.” Tyrion replied nervously. Regardless of how often Oberyn was at his house, he hardly interacted with the guy, much less alone. Oberyn simply nodded his head before giving Cersei a two finger salute and following him out the door. Walking along the walls of the penthouse, Tyrion panicked at the idea of making small talk with a man who must have heard the worst of the worst from his sister. 

“So you’re like, in the fifth grade right?” Oberyn suddenly asked, making easy conversation. He did not look troubled or uncomfortable, and Tyrion couldn’t help but envy him.

“Um, yeah fourth grade, but they are thinking of having me skip another one.” He replied, hoping he didn’t sound nervous or childish. 

“That’s cool as hell!” Oberyn laughed, “The less school the better. Trust me.” 

“Okay.” Tyrion squeaked as Oberyn slapped his shoulder in what was meant to be an affirmative gesture. 

“Hey you still talk to your brother right? Jaime?” He suddenly questioned. Tyrion furrowed his brow, trying to find a connection between Oberyn and Jaime. Oberyn had arrived after Jaime was sent to school, and as far as Tyrion knew the two had never met. 

“Um, yeah?” Tyrion replied in an uneasy voice, “Yeah we text each other pretty often I guess?”

“Do you know what he’s up to next year?” He asked right as they arrived at the front door. Grinning, he turned back to face Tyrion, “Saved by the bell. Looks like I’ll have to keep the rest of my interrogation for later.” 

Tyrion watched in awe as Oberyn gave him the same two finger salute he saw earlier and swaggered off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh hope it wasn't too bad! as always please feel free to comment any criticism, constructive or otherwise. i'm also open to the idea of a beta (god knows i need one) but i'm not really sure who to ask so if anyone is possibly interested they can DM at @forcersei_ on twitter? obviously no pressure lol. oh side note i'm sorry if oberyn and cersei seem extremely affectionate for best friends, i just know that i personally am extremely affectionate with my friends so i don't really know how to write friendships where you aren't constantly telling the other person that you love them and you'd die for them and that nonsense. i know not everyone has those friendships but sometimes its nice to just look at someone you have no romantic feelings for and tell them that they are the love of your life. idk if i'm making sense lol. hope you enjoyed! hope to see you next time!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shout out to me for saying i'd be updating weekly and then disappearing, sorry about that! hope this chapter finds you well and enjoy it, as always i apologize for any mistakes as i do not have a beta reader! also i have no idea why the chapter notes from chap 1 showed up in chap 2 i'm sorry about that i tried to fix it but alas. anyways as always you can find me on twitter at @forcersei_

“I am so pleased that you two have decided to grace me with your presence.” Tywin Lannister mocked from his position at the head of the table. Knowing better than to start an argument, Cersei furiously glared at her plate in response. It was impressive how Tywin managed to simultaneously completely disregard his children and blame them for his lack of concern. While Cersei had become accustomed to such conditions long ago, she could not help the strike of anger that ran through her at her father’s neglect. 

She could faintly hear Tyrion’s snide reply and while part of her could not help but respect her monsterous brother’s attitude towards their father, she was simultaneously angry. Tyrion was nothing, nobody, some little kid who somehow had the guts to stand up to their father. What gave him the right, the confidence?

She understood better than anyone that these family dinners were simply a matter of acting and presentation, but who exactly were they putting the performance on for? The staff scuttled out of the room faster than the bugs they resembled, and the three attendees were certainly aware.

Her father began discussing his plans for her future, describing details as if they weren’t determined years before her conception, as if they weren’t the first truths she learned. She decided to tune him out, having no real reason to pay attention when she could recite his expectations like a speech she’d memorized. Maybe it was because she had. 

“And what of Jaime’s future?” She suddenly asked, spurred on by the conversation with Oberyn. Her brother’s education was decidedly not predetermined, as her father was more than willing to change his plans when he sent Jaime to boarding school in third grade. 

“Your brother will do his duty.” Tywin replied cryptically, puzzled by his daughter’s sudden interest in her brother. He knew perfectly well that the twins were not on kind terms and rarely spoke to each other.

“Wonderful, but will he be doing his duty in London or will he be joining us again in this most wonderful nation?” Tyrion questioned, also recalling his conversation with Oberyn.

“While I have yet to make a final decision, I believe he will be studying here,” Tywin answered, “Not that it matters in regards to either of you.” 

~

Brienne Tarth was a sweet girl, if a bit on the awkward side. When Jaime had originally found out that his duo partner was a Freshman, he panicked. Eighteen year olds were not supposed to hang out with fifteen year olds, no matter the context. The fact that she had weird connections to the Baratheon family and the life awaiting him back in New York certainly didn’t help. Alas, times were tough, and solo-queueing as a support was virtually impossible. Besides, he has absolutely no romantic interest in the girl, and she was too busy recovering from a disastrous crush on Renly to notice any possible implications of the situation. Jaime ultimately decided that while being friends with a freshie wasn’t ideal, as long as he wasn’t being creepy and he ensured her safety it would work out. Now if only she could ensure his safety...

“Cover me while I try to get this rez.” He called out, hoping Brienne would protect him and the tide would turn in their team’s favor.

“Would that I could,” The tank player replied, stress evident in her voice, “The McCree on the other team hasn’t let me breathe all fight!” 

“Fuck!” Jaime spat in irritation as the game ended in another defeat. 

“It’s fine. Let’s just queue for another one.” Brienne answered calmly. That was another thing that ticked Jaime off, her consistent positive attitude. How was it possible that she felt no frustration over losses? She was always so bloody calm!

“Are you and Lioness still in a twitter feud?” She asked casually. 

“What? No! Why, who told you that?” Jaime jumped defensively.

“No one, just wondering since the timeline has been pretty quiet for a while now.”

“We’re fine. We’ve been DMing actually. She’s like, weirdly funny?” 

“Please don’t get a crush on her. Half of her audience thinks she’s secretly in love with redviper. Or vice versa.”

“You’re literally the last person who gets to talk about unattainable crushes. You’ve had a crush on two people in your life, your gay friend and your other friend’s mom.”

“If you bring that up again I’ll literally avoid you. I’ll use my precious avoid slot on a duo partner.”

Jaime laughed in response before going to check redviper’s twitter. He knew that the guy was Lioness’ regular duo partner, to the point where he basically costreamed along with her. His bio mentioned a girlfriend, but surely if the two were dating they would have announced it already? And Lioness wouldn’t be flirting with him over DMs just to turn and show her boyfriend, right?

“Speak of the devil,” Brienne muttered on the group channel before turning to team chat, “Stannis! Crazy seeing you here. How have games been?” 

Fuck. Looking up, Jaime realized that their queue time had finally ended and they were placed in a game. With Stannis Baratheon. And his weird girlfriend Mel. Jaime didn’t have any actual problems with Stannis per say, moreso what he represented. Tywin was forever attempting to bridge the Lannister Group and Baratheon Corporations together, and his most vocalized method being arranging a marriage between Cersei and Stannis’ eldest brother, Robert. The last thing Jaime wanted to be reminded of when playing was his family business, or worst, his sister. 

“I’ve been fine. Please refrain from using my real name and private information while we are in such a public setting.” Stannis’ voice rang crisp and clear through his microphone.

“Don’t mind him, he is convinced that identity theft is the biggest issue on Overwatch servers right now. As if Doomfist isn’t literally in the game.” Mel replied jokingly, while Jaime never sought the two out he had seen how they interacted in games. It was almost surreal to think of the stuck up Stannis he knew being teased by some girl. 

“I’m right, that’s why Lioness is smart for keeping all private information both off her game and her stream. If only she got her dumbass partner to do the same no one would be able to connect any dots.” 

“Wait, you know who she is?” Jaime jumped at the mention, hoping Stannis would actually come through for once and provide information. 

“Of course I do. What the hell are you talking about? You of all people should know.” Stannis spoke between game calls and strategies, forcing Jaime to pause for a minute. Why the hell would  _ he _ of all people know? Furthermore, why the fuck did  _ Stannis _ of all people know? He knew his girlfriend would occasionally play with Lioness, but surely their connection was not that strong? 

“They’re not actually dating.” Brienne answered as his brain struggled to catch up with the information overload. 

“I certainly hope not,” Stannis snorted, “How did we get stuck with such horrible and silent DPS players?” 

~

“And Dad hasn’t told you anything about where you’re gonna be next year?” Tyrion asked cautiously. Now that the topic had been discussed, he was ready to admit that he was also curious about his brother’s future. His weekly FaceTime calls seemed like the easiest route to an answer. 

“Not really, I guess he’s still deciding.” Jaime replied casually, obviously distracted as he continued to type on his computer.

“Well, what the fuck are you going to do if you move back?” 

“What do you mean?”

“About Cersei dumbass. Surely you can’t believe that ignoring her will be just as easy while living on the same continent?” Tyrion teased, hoping to quell any outburst his brother might have at the mention of his twin. 

“I haven’t been ignoring her,” Jaime attempted to defend himself, “We just aren’t close.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it,” Tyrion rebutted, “Stupidest Lannister and all, you have to know that your twin hasn’t had a brother she can trust since I was born.”

“Shut up. You know that wasn’t your fault,” Jaime quickly corrected, “And anyways it’s not like it started as soon as I transferred. We were fine the first year and a half.”

“Oh? Was that an admission that things are  _ not _ fine currently?” Tyrion replied, “Look, I don’t expect you to tell me details. I get it, you have your reason. I’m just asking that you consider how the circumstances might force change upon you.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! sorry about the delays in chapters, if you follow my twitter (@forcersei_) you know that i’m currently out of town and rarely have time to write. hopefully everyone enjoys this chapter and likes getting more background revealed! i guess this is gonna be a lowkey slowburn, because it still might be a minute before our golden dummies get together. as always sorry for any mistakes! reviews and comments are always appreciated :)

A part of Jaime was genuinely surprised when his father had notified him that he wanted to discuss his future. Silly as it might seem, a conversation wasn’t exactly used the first time a decision revolving his education was made, Tywin was perfectly content to ship his son off without a word. 

Regardless, perhaps he had once again overestimated how influenced his father would be by his son’s desires. 

“Jaime, you have yet to give me an actual reason for continuing your education abroad.” His father spoke sternly, as he always did. Jaime remembered how Cersei had once confessed to being terrified of their father’s tone, as it lacked any warmth and support. Of course, at the time they had another parent to compare to. 

“I’ve spent the last eight years here. It will be difficult to adjust to both College and a foreign country,” He began, wincing as he realized that this complaint would likely not result in his father changing his mind. Attempting again he began, “Plus wasn’t the whole point of me studying abroad to build powerful connections? How do you expect me to maintain my relationships if I’m back there?”

“That was not the point of you studying abroad,” His father replied, genuinely surprising Jaime.  _ What the fuck was the point then _ ? Continuing while disregarding his son’s shocked expression he spoke, “I believe that the connections you have made will last through your departure. This will also allow you to make new connections in a new environment. This is my final decision.”

So that was it. His father ended the call, and Jaime attempted to come to terms with the fact that life as he knew it was about to change. The only bright side in this shitty situation was Lioness, the first girl he was genuinely interested in. The first girl who counted,  _ at least _ .

Remembering Tyrion’s words from their previous call, Jaime considered his steps moving forward. Was he actually ready to reconcile with Cersei? He knew she probably hated his guts, despising him for his behavior throughout the last seven and a half years. At the time, drifting apart seemed like the only plausible solution. Soon enough it became normal for her lips to turn downwards each time he arrived home for break. 

Still, his motivations for drifting away were still present in his mind, and he understood the consequences of each action he could take. But, wasn’t Lioness proof that things  _ had _ changed? Wasn’t he finally moving on? Perhaps the separation had worked, albeit belatedly. 

Emboldened by his feelings, Jaime finally decided to send a simple text to his long lost sister. 

~

Oberyn wasn’t a fool. When he realized that Cersei had missed both her first and second period classes he knew something was wrong. She was ignoring his texts, it wasn’t his fault that he was worried. After reassuring Ellaria that they were still on for their plans that night, he left school early and made his way to the Lannister penthouse. 

Pulling out the key Cersei had given him two years ago, he allowed himself inside. Perhaps he had been a bit obtuse when he told Tyrion he didn’t know the way without Cersei’s help, but could the kid really blame him for wanting to talk? Quickly opening the door to her room, he noticed that all the lights were off and a large lump existed on her bed. 

“Cersei?” He spoke softly, careful not to startle her, “Is everything okay dear?”

“What are you doing here?” She asked from underneath the covers, not bothering to watch as her best friend quietly tip-toed over. 

“You missed your classes and haven’t texted back. I was worried.” Sitting down on her bed, he attempted to rub her back in a comforting manner. This was difficult considering he had no clue which way she was facing. 

“I think I threw my phone across the room.” Finally pulling her covers away, Oberyn noticed her puffy eyes and strained voice. She had been crying, probably for a good amount of time. He was unsure of whether or not she had slept the past night. 

“Okay, that’s okay,” He said as he brushed the hair away from her face, “Do you want to talk about what happened or do you want to just cuddle and nap for a bit?”

Her whispered response was almost too quiet to hear, but he nodded as she turned around and made room for him to get in bed and put his arm around her. 

They had been lying for about half an hour before she finally spoke. Still facing away from him she began, “Jaime texted me.”

Shocked, Oberyn did his best to hide his reaction from Cersei, “What did he want?”

“Nothing,” She said as she turned in his arms to look at him, “Nothing. Seven years of silence and he sends me a text that just says  _ Hey _ .”

He could see that she was upset and unhappy by this reunion, her brow furrowed. “Maybe he’s moving back for school? Wants to reconnect?” 

“ _ Hey _ is a pretty shitty way to attempt to reconnect.” She glared in response, relaxing as he gently played with her hair.

“Can you tell me about it?” He asked, hoping he could finally learn more about the fall out.

“Not much to say I guess,” She began, closing her eyes, “Tyrion was born nine years ago. Mom died. Jaime was shipped off to London. We were okay the first year he was gone, texting and talking daily, I guess we might have been a little codependent after Mom died. Then suddenly he’s silent. Won’t text me back, ignoring my calls. He comes over on breaks but he spends all his time with Tyrion and avoiding me. I know they talk to each other, they’re still close. He obviously chose to cut me off deliberately. And now seven years later he thinks he can just text me with a  _ Hey _ .”

“Do you know why he might have chosen to draw back?” He asked, kissing her forehead and wiping away the few tears that had managed to fall as she spoke.

“Obviously I did something,” She replied, opening her eyes and looking at him, “I guess he decided I just wasn’t worth the effort.”

Shaking his head, Oberyn vowed to punch Jaime Lannister in the face at the next opportunity, “My love, you are more than worth any effort. You are everything.”

Cersei closed her eyes and buried her face further in his shoulder. Holding her tightly, Oberyn knew he had to do something to fix his best friend’s hurting. 

~

Tyrion had arrived home at 3:26, just like he did every day. Normally, Cersei would still be stuck at school, or locked away in her room if she happened to be home. Nevertheless, the laughter and noises coming from the kitchen were unmistakably his sister and her friend. While Tyrion would hardly consider himself an expert in identifying his sister’s happiness, he couldn’t help but curiously peer at the scene unfolding. 

Cersei was sitting on the countertop, swinging her legs back and forth while jokingly attempting to hit Oberyn, who was seemingly making a batch of cookies. Her tank top and sweatpants indicated that she had not gone to school, and Tyrion couldn’t help but wonder what her reason for skipping might be. 

“If you keep kicking me I will mess up the recipe and then you won’t have cookies. Is that what you want?” Oberyn threatened without even looking away for his efforts. Glancing over, Tyrion noticed a batch of cookies already baked and cooling right beside his sister. 

“As if you could mess up chocolate chip cookies, these makeup most of your bloodstream.” His sister joked back as she grabbed a cookie and broke it in half. Popping half in her mouth, Tyrion watched as she threw the other half towards her friend.

“Cersei I swear to god...” Oberyn replied, turning to look at his mischievous friend. It was the pause that notified Tyrion that he had finally been noticed. Fuck. 

“Hey Tyrion, want a cookie?” Oberyn offered, holding one out. Cersei scrunched up her face and turned to look at her brother, sending endless waves of hatred towards him. 

Unable to resist the temptation of a cookie, Tyrion ignored his sister’s response and moved forward to grab the offering. “What are you guys up to?” He cautiously asked, hoping Oberyn would neutralize his sister’s most volatile behaviors. 

“None of your fucking business,” She spoke quickly, just as Oberyn began to interrupt.

“Making chocolate chip cookies. At least I am. Your sister is more of a saboteur.”

“Shut up.” Cersei sniped, kicking Oberyn again. Tyrion watched in shock as Oberyn simply ignored the kick and shoved a cookie in his sister’s mouth. It felt so strange to see her this way, open and happy. Cersei had never liked Tyrion, and she had always made her feelings clear. 

“I’ll head out of your way.” Tyrion spoke before sneaking two more cookies away. Oberyn winked in response as Cersei glared. Leaving the kitchen, he turned back one again to watch as her shoulders relaxed now that she was in the company of someone she loved and trusted. 

He couldn’t help but wonder, did his sister truly despise him that much? Was there any actual hope of reconciling their relationship? 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello hello! i am very sorry for disappearing on you for almost a month and i’m even more sorry that this chapter is the content i return with. this is probably the chapter i struggled with the most and am least satisfied by. after not touching it for weeks i figured i’d finish it up and post it so i could finally MOVE ON at the very least. i apologize for the bad quality and i hope that i won’t suffer nearly as much writing the next one!

If Jaime were to be strictly honest with himself, he felt almost silly about how excited he was. Sure, he was going to be playing his favorite game with the girl who was keeping him up at night with stupid jokes, but surely he was overreacting? When he first asked Lioness if she’d want to play a match casually, she hesitated. Jaime was genuinely worried that he had misread their texts and she was going to reject him, before she clarified that she would still be using a voice modifier while they played. 

Was it ideal? No. It would be nice to finally have a voice to associate with a name that put butterflies in his stomach, but he respected her need for privacy. Besides, he had teasingly joked about using a modifier of his own while they played and she had accidentally taken him seriously. So now neither of them would know how the other sounded. Or looked. Maybe this crush was going a little over his head. Typically he would talk to Tyrion about any matter, but he had never exactly gone to him with any type of relationship advice beforehand. Surely it would seem strange if he started now?

Getting a notification that Lioness had added to a group, Jaime quickly took a sip from his water bottle before joining the voice channel.

“Fancy seeing you here.” A voice greeted him almost immediately. God, it was almost pathetic how nervous just hearing her words made him. Palms sweating, he tried to remind himself that she did not sound like that in the real world. 

“Shut up, you literally added me to the group.” He replied, wishing against all odds that the program would function differently. Realistically he knew that she was not hearing his voice, his nervousness, but Jesus Christ did he really sound like  _ that _ ?

“I hate that I know exactly which mod program you’re using. Anyways, game mode preference?” She teased lightly, earning a chuckle that hopefully wouldn’t sound quite so weak once a computer altered it.

“Fuck it. Let’s go mystery heroes.”

“You’re absolutely evil for this. I hope you know that.”

Jaime laughed again, watching as his screen notified him that they had been added to a queue. It felt almost surreal to be talking to her, and he was beyond terrified of messing anything up.

“I’ve got like an hour to play before Oberyn comes over,” She casually mentioned, “We’re trying to figure out what I should do for my 30K follower milestone.”

“Wow, brag much?” He teased, “No point in asking for a voice or face reveal I take it?”

“Ask me that again and I’ll block you.” She laughed in response. He couldn’t help but think about what her actual laugh would sound like.

“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“I can and I will. I can try setting up a fun game mode with other players? Call in Mel and maybe some others.” She thought aloud. Startled, Jaime looked up from his keyboard. Perhaps Melisandre and Lioness  _ were _ closer than he originally thought. Did that mean Stannis actually knew her identity?

“I didn’t know you were that close with redpriestess.” He attempted casually, praying that the modifier would adjust the tone his voice emitted. 

“Oh yeah she’s a blast to play with. If Oberyn and I could get her as a steady trio player we’d be golden. I respect the girlfriend duty of carrying furiousiron, but he literally barely hits GM even when she’s boosting him. I just need her with me and top 500 would be easy,” Lioness rambled, “Have you played with her?”

“A bit here and there,” Jaime casually replied, hoping not to bring up Stannis and their relationship. “If you need a healer for your trio I’m always down, or would Oberyn be too jealous?”

“As if,” She snorted in response, making Jaime smile brilliantly at the thought of her happy, “He’d probably cut his nonsense flirting with me and focus on you.”

“Oh?” He questioned, “Asserting his dominance?” 

“Looking for a hookup more like. You’d think the guy would calm down considering his girlfriend is literally drop dead gorgeous, but she’s more than happy to join in on his fun.”

Well that was certainly information to process. Oberyn had a girlfriend. Oberyn was presumably bisexual. Oberyn looked for hookups and shared them with his girlfriend.

“Unfortunately I don’t think he’d have much luck. Can’t say I’d be interested in hooking up with a guy, no matter how pretty his girlfriend is.”

“That’s a shame,” She replied, “They’re quite good to be honest.”

Wait,  _ what _ ?

~

Cersei had just finished playing with LionPrince, having said their goodbyes, when Oberyn entered her room. Honestly, she felt a bit giddy. As stupid as his name was, LionPrince was funny, and playing with him was a good time. 

“Earth to Cersei, everything okay?” Oberyn asked, presumably because she had accidentally ignored his previous statement.

“Yeah sorry, what’s going on?” She replied, standing up to hug her best friend. Oberyn shook his head before hugging her back and placing a simple kiss atop her head. 

“Nothing, you just seemed distracted. Busy thinking of plans for the 30K bash?” He questioned lightly, claiming her previously occupied spot at her desk and fiddling with her computer. 

“Not really, was just playing a few rounds with LionPrince.” Oberyn turned to grin at his best friend as she threw a pillow at him in response.

“How is your very own prince charming anyways?” He asked casually.

“He’s fine. A bit stupid but what can you really expect from a teenage boy.” Her brow furrowed for a moment, and Oberyn opened his mouth to ask about it before realizing that Cersei was speaking again, “I mean. I think he’s a teenager. I guess I’m not sure  _ exactly _ how old he is but he sends off teenage vibes.”

“I think Mel mentioned he was our age once. Lord knows how the hell she knows everyone,” He quickly tried to reassure her, “Did you not use voice chat?”

“We did, but when I told him I’d prefer to still use a voice modifier he suggested he’d do the same.” Cersei explained bashfully. She knew her reluctance to reveal her voice to one guy would blow her idea of a voice reveal out the water. 

“Cheeky,” Oberyn joked, winking again.

“Not your type,” She quickly quipped laughing at Oberyn’s frown, “Unfortunately he’s straight.” 

“Now that’s a true tragedy,” He laughed, “Although I will remind you that so were you when Ellaria first kissed you.” 

Throwing another pillow at her best friend, Cersei attempted to push down the nausea she had been feeling all week. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading that atrocity, please leave a comment to let me know your thoughts! also a reminder that i am on twitter @forcersei_ although i’ve been lacking on the social media aspects of this fic lately, another error i need to correct. I hope to return in or within a week, see you soon!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for starters, i'd like to apologize for disappearing for so long. right after i posted the last chapter i started working full time, and it has absolutely been kicking my ass. while i don't want to make any promises i can't keep, i will do my best to make sure you aren't left waiting for over a month again.   
> secondly, i'd like to thank everyone for their kind reviews and comments. this chapter was originally going to be dedicated for Highflyer, who i would personally categorize as any modern j/c fic's biggest fan. if you've looked at a modern j/c fic (specifically college or high school aus) i can almost guarantee that this lovely reader has left a comment with words of encouragement. it seemed only fitting that i dedicate a chapter to them, and it feels even more right since they continued to leave sweet comments during my absence. thanks for reading :)
> 
> anyways, i hope you all enjoy this chapter, even if it is on the shorter end. the next chapter is one i've been thinking about and preparing for a long time, and i'm almost unsure if we're ready for it? we will see...

Tyrion wouldn’t describe his current mindset as worried per say, worried implied a level of investment that he did not want to go near. He was simply  _ concerned _ . Concerned for his brother, who could barely focus on his packing without looking at his phone, much less think about his actions. Concerned for his sister, who was avoiding all family dinners and complaining of headaches. Concerned for his personal safety, if he was being honest. Cersei’s temperament already ran between extremes, he wasn’t sure he wanted to be around to see a new scale.

“Don’t you think that maybe you should think about what you’re going to say?” He offered, watching through the screen as his brother scoffed and continued typing away furiously on his phone.

“Why do I have to say something? I already did!” Jaime complained stubbornly.

“Which is all well and good when you’re living in London and ignoring her every time you see each other,” Tyrion spoke before glaring in response as Jaime tried to interrupt, “But you’re going to be home for quite a while. And you’ll be moving back soon anyways. Isn’t it time to fix broken bridges?”

“Like I’ve said before,” His brother gritted out, “I don’t  _ ignore _ her when I’m in the states. There’s no broken bridge to fix.”

“Right, and I’m going to grow to be 5’7 one day.” Tyrion mused. 

“I don’t understand why you’re so invested in this,” Jaime replied, “Did you two suddenly become best friends while I’ve been away?” 

“I don’t know if you noticed, but our sister doesn’t like me very much,” Tyrion fussed, “When she’s unhappy, she doesn’t exactly become nicer to me. How unhappy do you think she’s going to be when her twin brother moves back home and she has to remember he exists?”

“I’m insulted that you assume I am so easily forgotten.” Jaime joked, still refusing to look up from his phone. 

“What could possibly be so interesting on your phone that you completely ignore your favorite brother and your task of packing?”

“I’m texting someone, a girl.” He looked up to flash a quick grin before returning his attention to his phone. 

“Oh?” Tyrion paused, “The great Jaime Lannister finally has his attention caught? To be honest, I was beginning to wonder if women were where your eye strayed.”

“Why does everyone think I’m interested in men? Shut up. It’s illegal to make fun of your older brother when he likes a girl.”

“Maybe you’re sending off some odd vibes. Does this girl of yours know about your straightness?”

“I’ve clarified that, thanks.” Jaime mused sarcastically. 

“Does she know about your trip to the States?” 

“Hasn’t come up,” He answered quickly, “Anyways. I still have a week to pack, let me slack off a little.” 

“As if. If I didn’t bother you about packing or texting our sister you would ignore both until they blew up in your face.” 

“In my defense, I texted her a week ago and she ignored me.” He quipped. 

“Wait, you texted Cersei?” Tyrion questioned.

“Yeah?”

“Well that explains the cookies.”

“What cookies?”

“Doesn’t matter dumbass, what matters is that our sister now hates both of us. Your jackassary isn’t exactly helping the cause.” 

“I’m sure any problems Cersei and I might have will be swiftly solved upon my arrival.” Jaime replied, once again ignoring his tasks and focusing on his phone. 

“I wouldn’t hold my breath.” Tyrion muttered in response. 

~

“Remind me again why I agreed to this?” Cersei questioned while lacing up the skates her friend had so graciously rented. 

“Because,” Oberyn drawled while grinning, “Your best friend asked you to go ice skating with him and there’s no one else you love more in the whole world!”

“Alright, and what’s the real reason?” She asked sarcastically. Oberyn’s response of scrunching up his face and wagging his tongue was hardly dignified, but no one was around to pay attention. 

“I know for a fact you’re going to ask me for something regarding next week. Let me have this ice skating date.” 

“Oh it’s a date now is it? Should Ellaria be jealous?” Cersei mused jokingly, “At least you’re saving me the trouble of whining for an hour before you agree to come with me to the winter gala next week.”

“The winter gala? Must I really? You know I hate being around your father.”

“If an entire party is to be thrown in my brother’s honor the least you can do is distract me throughout the night, isn’t that your duty as my best friend?”

“I guess,” He grumbled, “Are you really feeling okay with going to this party and seeing him? I’m sure we can sneak out fifteen minutes in without notice.”

“Maybe if it comes to that.” Oberyn could sense Cersei’s apprehension regarding the whole affair, and knew she was holding back her true feelings.

In all honesty, Cersei wasn’t sure how she felt. Occasional nausea would plague her when confronted with the idea of reuniting with her twin after so long, especially after his recent attempt to reconnect. Previously, Jaime had always ignored her just as much as she ignored him, would he attempt to talk to her now? Genuinely approach her? 

The thought was anything but comforting, so she did her best to push it away. For now, Oberyn and his easy and honest smile were a worthy distraction, along with LionPrince’s daily texts.

~

Jaime was conflicted, an emotion he had been experiencing a lot recently. While his heart wanted him to ignore his errands and simply talk to Lioness all day, his brain couldn’t help remind him of what awaited him back in New York. A father whose expectations he would never live up to. A sister who would rather not acknowledge him. A brother he had disappointed. 

When did life get so complicated? All he wanted to do was talk to his friends and play his favorite game, was that truly too much to ask? Suddenly family matters required every minute of his attention, so much so that he could feel his excitement to return home slip away. Seeing Tyrion was always a pleasure, but the only feeling he had associated with Cersei was regret. 

“Maybe Tyrion was right,” He muttered to himself as he attempted to continue his task of packing, “I’ve been a shitty brother for too long.”

Cersei had no reason to want to reconnect with him, and he couldn’t blame her. It was slightly pathetic, he couldn’t help but consider. For so long he had wanted to protect his sister from himself that he didn’t notice he was harming her regardless. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks again for reading, i hope you enjoyed it! please remember to leave any type of comment, i'd love to know your thoughts! as always you can find me on twitter @forcersei_ although i admit that i have been extremely horrible at posting the social media aspects of this au. hopefully this is something i will rectify before the next chapter, as i hope to show more moments between Lioness and LionPrince that did not make it to the fic. i'll see you soon (hopefully)! ~


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok. i was going to start this by saying "in my defense i said i wouldn't be another month, i didn't say i wouldn't be another three months" but i just double checked and i said i would try not to leave you waiting OVER a month so i'm double in the wrong. countless apologies. i hope this chapter finds you well.

That first moment directly after stepping off a plane was always so satisfying to Jaime. The first breath of air in a new place, leaving the airport and feeling the weather and temperature change. All these differences reassured him that he was finally back in New York, back home. Turning on his phone, he found a text from Tyrion apologizing again for being unable to meet him at the airport. Honestly, did his little brother really think he was to blame for having school? Regardless, Jaime sent back a text in response before checking his other notifications.

A text from Lioness, teasing him again. This time it was for revealing that he played off a laptop. Smirking in response, he replied to her before looking up and heading towards baggage claim. 

-

Friday afternoons were typically an innocuous occasion for Tyrion Lannister. Leave school, go home, read some books. Once in a blue moon Father would demand his presence at dinner, but he rarely ever bothered. Leaving his school, Tyrion knew that any hopes he had for a quiet evening were completely unrealistic. Jaime was home, and with him, the Lannister production. 

Father’s plan to hold a gala celebrating his prodigal son’s return was hardly a surprise, the narrative which was unfolding had been written long before Tyrion, or Jaime for that matter, had been conceived. A golden son to inherit a golden family fortune and a golden legacy, oh how lucky his father was, getting his wish. It was mere chance that Cersei had been born first, forever acting as a source of frustration, the second born hardly had as much thematic value. While Tywin was plenty bold, fortunate still decided to punish him by giving him the disgrace that was his second son, or so Tyrion was constantly told. 

Jaime was hardly to blame for their bitter father’s actions and behaviors, in fact, while a reminder of the life he would never receive, Tyrion welcomed Jaime’s return home. Jaime truly was the only Lannister who cared for him, Uncle Gerion serving as a possible outlier. 

All this to say, while Tyrion was certainly shocked to see his brother waiting outside the middle school building he attended his afternoon classes in, he was quickly reminded of just how kind his brother could be when he wanted to.

-

“So what’s really the plan for tonight?” Jaime asked as he slumped down on the couch, finally back  _ home _ . 

“Same old,” Tyrion muttered while glancing down at his phone, “Father talks about how perfect you are, I sneak away to the bathroom for forty minutes, the routine.” 

“And Cersei?”

Ah, so that was the reason behind this pointless line of questioning. Looking up, Tyrion noticed just how painfully obvious Jaime was being while attempting to act nonchalant.  _ Honestly _ , couldn’t these two blonde idiots just work it out themselves? Why drag him into it?

“Who can really say?” He replied, carefully monitoring his brother’s reactions. “I think she said that she’s bringing someone, but I’m willing to bet good money that it’s just Martell.”

It was almost comical, the way that Jaime was pretending to feel so carefree, nodding along in response, all while having a furrowed brow and frown that could be spotted from a mile away. 

“And you’ve met him?” He asked cautiously, unsure of his words. Tyrion almost snorted in response, before remembering that technically speaking, Jaime  _ was _ one of the people he was closest to in the world. While tormenting his brother could be amusing, watching him suffer was the last thing he wanted. 

“Oh yeah,” Tyrion attempted to reassure him, “He’s been around tons. They’re normally just holed up in her room but I’ve seen him every once in a while.”

Unfortunately, this did not bring the peace of mind that Tyrion was hoping. If possible, the frown on Jaime’s face grew, deepening to a scowl. 

-

While the gala had barely even started, it felt like ages for Jaime. His sister had not arrived at home, presumably getting ready somewhere else. Neither did she ride with his brother or father in the Limo, citing the Martell boy as her ride previously. When Jaime was finally able to look up and see his sister for the first time in half a year, he felt his heart stutter. 

Cursing himself, he closed his eyes in an attempt to block out her radiance. Cersei’s smile  _ wasn’t _ what he was chasing anymore, he reminded himself, attempting to think again of the lilt in Lioness’ voice (or software) when she teased him. He wished he knew what she looked like, hoping against all odds that she could compete with the deity who had tormented the last seven years of his life. 

Opening his eyes again, he was greeted to the sight of her in all her brilliant glory, chatting casually to some guy, laughing earnestly while remaining completely unaware of the power she held. Surely she couldn’t know, just how beautiful she looked. Wearing a light green floor length dress, even from across the room Jaime could see how mesmerizing she looked. It was almost painful to look away, as it so often was. But wasn’t that the issue? Hadn’t this whole mess started because he didn’t want to look away, terrified of what he might miss? Suddenly bitter, he moved towards the bar in hopes of drowning his sorrows, softening the blow of seeing her. 

-

“Where are your brothers?” Jaime asked as he stopped next to Stannis, taking a sip of wine. Stannis’ brow furrowed in obvious displeasure at the sight of underage drinking, but there was no danger in partaking during a family event.

“Probably off being disappointments,” Stannis replied, looking off into the lively party.

“Not obligated to attend?” Jaime questioned curiously. He vaguely knew that Stannis was the most interested of the three in inheriting the family business, having seemingly departed the womb with a scowl on his face. 

“Hardly,” He replied while taking a sip of his water, “What’s the point if they’d only end up embarrassing us?”

Jaime nodded wordlessly, peering out to the party himself in hopes of finding whatever it was Stannis was so captivated by.

While he had never seen Stannis’ girlfriend, Mel did go by  _ red _ priestess online, and the girl he was currently staring at was certainly wearing an awful amount of red. She was also animatedly talking to Cersei. And some guy. The same guy who had been following Cersei’s every move the entire night, not that Jaime had been paying particular attention. The trio certainly looked comfortable with each other, laughing and speaking amongst themselves.

“Be careful,” Jaime spoke quietly, finally making Stannis look away. “Wouldn’t want the missus running off with some guy.”

“Please,” He snorted in response, “Martell is the least of my worries in that trio.”

_ What the fuck did that mean? _

“How do you figure?” Jaime asked in a way he could only hope sounded casual.

“Do you know that your sister had Mel ask me if I’d be upset if the two of them hooked up? Genuinely asked me!” 

Had Jaime been drinking his wine at that moment, he would have spit it out. 

“Excuse me?” He questioned, but Stannis was already busy muttering under his breath to reply. 

“Only frame of reference is ‘open relationships’ my ass. What Oberyn and Ellaria do in their free time is none of my business, but I will not have my girlfriend dating someone else!”

_ Oberyn _ . Didn’t that name sound vaguely familiar? Looking back at the trio, he could see now just how tactile Cersei was being with Melisandre. 

“I didn’t know they even knew each other,” Jaime mused casually, once again taking a sip of his drink.

“Oh those two are forever trying to get Mel to join their little trio. I’m sure you would understand better than most the desirability of a support.” 

It took a moment for the words to actually process in his brain, and the minute they did Jaime wished they hadn’t. If Stannis was talking about Cersei playing Overwatch with Mel, and the Martell boy was named  _ Oberyn _ , there truly could be only one explanation.

Taking one final look at his sister, he watched her as she commanded respect, taking an entire gala meant to celebrate his homecoming and turning it into a court she could preside over. There was no doubt about it.

_ Cersei Lannister, his sister, was Lioness.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you again for reading, i hope you enjoyed it!! i apologize that the quality is not up to par for what one would assume a three month hiatus would entail, writer's block has been absolutely kicking my ass lately. as always you can find me on twitter @forcersei_, although i am once again apologizing for the lack of update in the social media aspect. i hope to not keep you waiting too long, and to see you again soon! please let me know your thoughts, and while you're here please consider clicking the link below and possibly educating yourself further on the current situation in the US. while i recognize that perhaps not all of my readers are from the US, i think that the information is much more universal than one might originally consider. if you have the means, please consider donating to the many funds linked! 
> 
> https://blacklivesmatter.carrd.co/#


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, apologies for the delay. at least it's two months this time instead of three?

It was Elia who woke him up on Friday morning, standing above him, glaring, while bizarrely holding up a garment bag and standing next to a small suitcase. Blinking up at her, Oberyn could tell she wasn’t pleased, but his brain hadn’t quite worked out what he’d done to earn her scorn. 

“May I help you?” He asked, frown deepening when she’d tuted her head in disapproval. Racking his head, he blinked a few more times, hoping she’d take pity and inform him.

“Aren’t you supposed to be at school?” She asked instead, sending him a quick glare when he simply let out a snort at her question, “At the very least can’t you wake up to properly receive your packages?”

“Are they presents?” He suddenly perked up at the thought, reaching for the garment bag and opening it quickly only to be disappointed when he found a light green dress instead. In all honesty, he wasn’t quite sure what he’d been expecting to find, but he doubted this constituted a present. 

“Cersei,” He breathed out, by way of answering Elia’s unspoken question. Glancing at his sister again, he quickly realized that it was unnecessary. Who else would bother sending dresses and suitcases to their house?

“Clearly.”

Looking around, Oberyn couldn’t quite seem to find his phone. He must have left it at Ellaria’s last night, he realized, before glancing up at his sister sheepishly, “May I borrow your phone?”

She quickly threw the device at him, hung the garment up in his closet, and slammed his door a little too loudly when leaving. Grinning, Oberyn knew that however irritated she might be at this very moment, his sister would quickly forget. 

Sending a text to Ellaria asking her to bring his phone into school is quick and easy. Surely she had also skipped first period and was sleeping in. Calling Cersei is less easy, her weird obsession with perfect attendance means she has to find an excuse to leave her class and call him instead. 

“What’s wrong with your phone?” She asked immediately upon answering.

“Left it at Ellaria’s, what’s wrong with getting ready at your house?” He asked in reply. There was a moment of silence where he heard her let out a huff, and suddenly all he could focus on was the conversation. His best friend was upset, and he had to rectify this immediately. 

“I’m not interested in getting ready there and driving over with him,” She answered, carefully managing to leave out the person in question.

“Do you want to sleep over at my place?” He sympathized, brain scrambling to find ideas of cheering her up, “We can make Mel come over too, watch some shitty movie.”

It’s a chuckle that’s heard this time, and he smiled knowing he has made a little progress. “That would be nice,” She replied, before quickly hanging up and presumably heading back to class. 

~

As they walked into the designated ballroom at the Four Seasons, Oberyn squeezed the hand he was holding in slight irritation. He wasn’t interested in attending some stuffy boring gala, but helping his friend was necessary. 

“We can leave a little early,” Cersei whispered in response, immediately recognizing the cause of his pain, “I doubt father would even notice.” Her voice was light when the words were spoken, but the anger in her eyes was burning. 

Glancing around, Oberyn couldn’t spot any Lannister of interest, namely the one they were looking to avoid for the night. He couldn’t find Melisandre or Stannis either, which was even more discouraging. 

The next half hour occurs around him much more than it does to him, he simply tuned out and allowed Cersei to drag him from guest to guest as they offered various platitudes. While he ran the risk of missing out actually interesting pieces of information each time he let the conversations wash over him, he knew the odds made this far less likely. Finally spotting Melisandre’s bright red hair, he quickly tugged on Cersei’s hand and glanced over, allowing her to appease the current guest she was entertaining before the both made their escape. 

“Where’s the old ball and chain?” He offered as Cersei and Mel hugged, acting as if they hadn’t seen each other a few hours ago at school. 

“Off searching for a nonalcoholic drink,” Mel’s response came quickly, as she smiled down at Cersei’s dress, “You look beautiful, you’re giving everyone with a pulse a heart attack.” 

Cersei’s smile is the most radiant it’s been all night, and Oberyn couldn’t help but be grateful that there was one other person at this Lannister Shit Show that he could depend on. Lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t realized the girls had kept talking until Cersei’s question brought his attention back.

“So do you think you could come over after?” She wondered, casually playing with a piece of Melisandre’s hair.

“Stannis may grumble a bit but he can’t exactly say no.”

“I could try and convince him,” Oberyn spoke, waggling his eyebrows suggestively only to be met with laughter from both girls. 

Stannis had made it quite clear he was only interested in monogamy, and had been less than receptive to any flirting Oberyn had sent his way. Perhaps less than receptive was a bit harsh, as he hadn’t exactly realized what Oberyn was doing. Melisandre had later confided that he hadn’t noticed when  _ she _ had flirted with him either, forcing her to ask him outright if he was interested. 

~

The entire night is technically a waste, as Jaime Lannister manages to evade him at every moment. Cersei and Melisandre seem to have a good time, and that is the only reason Oberyn isn’t truly annoyed. It isn’t until they arrived back at his house that he finally felt as though he could breathe again. Making popcorn while faintly hearing their voices as they argued over which movie to pick, he allowed himself a quick smile. 

“Oberyn,” Cersei spoke as she looked up at him, clearly preparing to ask him for something, “Would you mind running back to grab me some pajamas?” 

Her tone clearly indicated that she wasn’t truly asking, and he almost wanted to cry out of frustration. The day has been trying, and while he prided himself on being an extrovert, hanging out with boring stuffy irritating people all night hadn’t exactly left him energized. 

“Fine,” He replied, already moving to grab a jacket and his keys, “I’m picking the movie when I get back.” 

Cersei stuck her tongue out in response, and he knew that the odds of him getting to pick the movie upon his return are extremely low. 

~

Using his own key once again, Oberyn quietly opened the front door to the Lannister penthouse. He had no interest in stumbling upon either of Cersei’s brothers at such an hour, or god forbid Tywin. He crept down the main hall towards her room, a path he could walk with his eyes closed. While the entire house was silent and dark, a light shone through the door of her room. Curious, he opened the door to find the wrong Lannister twin.

“You’re certainly a surprise.” He spoke from the door, watching as Jaime Lannister jumped and fumbled to close whatever window he had open on his twin’s computer.

“I could say the same for you.” He glared once he had regained his composure. Oberyn was slightly impressed, Jaime clearly had an interest in his sister and clearly didn’t like his presence. Those were two points to be made for the idiot.

“I’m grabbing pajamas on assignment from Cersei.” He answered casually, repressing a smirk at the sight of Jaime’s glare deepening, “Can the same be said for your computer snooping?”

“I was simply checking something,” Jaime’s cool response came, “Is she not sleeping here?”

This time, Oberyn did allow his smirk to appear, “No, she’ll be spending the night at my place. I’ll be sure to have her back in a timely manner if it’s a concern.” 

Jaime looked about ready to punch him, choosing to simply glower in response. Grabbing the pajamas he had been sent to retrieve- including an extra set for Mel- He noticed that Jaime had yet to leave the room. Instead he seemed content to glare at Oberyn as he navigated Cersei’s room with ease, showing off just how well he knew the girl in question. Oberyn shrugged before grabbing any other necessary supplies that Cersei would need, before motioning for Jaime to walk out the door. 

“After you,” He said casually, watching as Jaime looked further infuriated. It was interesting to see just how angry the boy could become from a few well chosen words. 

“I think one typically allows guests to leave first.” He spoke through gritted teeth.

“Ah, but I am hardly a guest,” Oberyn smiled, showing off the key he had been given. Jaime’s eyes widened in fury as he clenched his fist and stormed off. 

~

“Anything interesting happen?” Cersei asked upon his return, grabbing the bag of toiletries and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. 

“Hardly,” He replied, glancing down to see that she had already changed into some clothes she had clearly stolen from his closet, “Why the hell did I bother getting you pajamas if you were just going to steal mine?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed this little interlude, as oberyn caught us up. once again i'd love to hear from y'all regarding anything, criticism (constructive or otherwise) is always welcome, and i'd love to know your thoughts moving forward! as always you can find me on twitter @forcersei_, though you won't find many social media posts from this au. another thing i'm lacking in regards to updates. if anyone is ever interested in becoming a beta reader for this fic (or any other fic i might end up writing) please let me know! i apologize that none of these chapters have ever had beta readers, and have no doubt it shows. anyways, hope to see you soon! maybe i can even make it one month this time :o


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